Webb loses appeal against FIFA million-dollar fine

LAUSANNE, Switzerland, CMC – World football governing body, FIFA, has rejected former CONCACAF president Jeff Webb’s appeal against a fine levied for his involvement in the now infamous FIFA corruption scandal.

The 54-year-old, who is currently in the United States awaiting sentencing on corruption charges, was also slapped with a life ban from football and a US$1.05 million fine.

While Webb accepted the ban, he appealed the fine only for FIFA to announce Monday it had upheld the decision by the adjudicatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee.

“After analysing and taking into consideration all circumstances of the case, the Appeal Committee determined that the fine imposed on Mr Webb in the amount of CHF 1,000,000 (Swiss francs) as ruled by the adjudicatory chamber of the Ethics Committee, was adequate in this case,” a FIFA statement said.

“Consequently, Mr Webb’s fine and lifelong ban are maintained, in accordance with art. 6 par. 1 h) of the FIFA Code of Ethics and art. 22 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code.”

Webb, along with several other football officials, was arrested back in 2015 after security forces swooped down on a Zurich hotel in a pre-raid dawn.

He was subsequently slapped with with United States federal charges of wire fraud and money laundering and extradited to the US, where he pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy, three counts of wire fraud conspiracy and three counts of money laundering conspiracy.

Webb has already agreed to forfeit more than US$6.7 million in cash and assets as part of an agreement with the courts.

Webb was also a powerful FIFA vice-president and a head of the Cayman Islands Football Association.